8 Food Items That Can Survive An Apocalypse

An Apocalypse is the complete final destruction of the world, as described in the biblical book of Revelation. It is also defined as an event involving destruction or damage on a catastrophic scale.

Have you wondered if you were ever able to pass an apocalypse, with all the life and food destroyed, how will you survive? Below food items can help you survive after an apocalypse.

1. Honey

Source – www.honeyandbeauty.com

While excavating some tombs in Egypt in 2015, a troop of archaeologists reported that they’d found a 3000-year old honey. And that too perfectly edible without any infections and microbes. The unique durability of honey is due to the high sugar content with the very little amount of water which makes it a tough ground for bacteria to grow and survive.

Honey also contains hydrogen peroxide which restrains growth of micro organisms. Honey bees have been producing honey for their young for years as it acts as nutrition as well as a protection for their babies.

Honey can go cloudy and crystallise if preserved for a very long period of time. However, this is a physical change and can be reversed just by warming honey. The unique features of this heavenly food make it a perfect survival item in case of an apocalypse.

2. Dried Pulses

Source – www.fortunatekitchen.com

Dried pulses behave same like honey, i.e, when the pulses are dried, the water content reduces and the sugar content increases which makes it again difficult for microbes to grow and nourish on the food item.

If stored in an air-tight container, with all enzymes removed (enzymes that break down the molecules), dried pulses can last for years. And we all know that pulses are a great source of protein. In case of an apocalypse, when no animal protein would be available, dried pulses can help us survive.

3. Soy Sauce

Source – www.thespruce.com

Soy sauce has the ability to last for at least three years. Soy sauce has a very high salt content and is fermented which makes it last several years if unopened. The actual lasting period depends on the type of soy sauce.

And if opened, the temperature at which the food item is stored plays a crucial role in its life. If it does go off, it is likely to be due to mould growing around the lid. In case of an apocalypse, soy sauce would be an option to spice up our other food items.

4. Vinegar

Source – aos.iacpublishinglabs.comw

Vinegar, in fact, is already spoiled wine or cider. But the traditional acidic nature of Vinegar, achieved by using Acetobacter to ferment it, means that any other type of microorganism struggles to grow on it.

This helps vinegar to extends it life for years. White vinegar will remain unaffected for very long period of time while other flavoured vinegar may change odour and taste a little bit. However, all types of vinegar are safe to consume even after long period of time.

5. White Rice

Source – epicurious.com

At low temperatures of 3 degrees (Celsius), white rice can be stored for 30 years without being affected. Brown rice, often considered more healthy than white rice, however, has a short life span. Its fibrous bran contains unsaturated fats, which can turn rancid. So if your brown rice is oily and smells like old paint, it’s best to throw it away.

6. Dark Chocolate

Source – blog.fitplanapp.com

Adding milk to chocolate reduces its life span. However, pure dark chocolate has tremendous life span properties. Taste and look might get affected after 5 years but it will still be healthy to consume.

If stored at a constant temperature, however, chocolate can last for two years or more, with concentrations of the compounds which some link to health benefits remaining throughout this time. For most people, though, chocolate does not tend to last this long before it is eaten.

7 & 8. Salt & Sugar

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Many of the foods that last for a long time are high in sugar and salt. In simple terms, they draw water out, so if bacteria try to grow on it, they will simply shrivel up. This is why we use salt to make ham, sugar to make jam, and both to make gravlax.

As foods in their own right, if salt and sugar are stored away from moisture in airtight containers, they will last indefinitely. But additives, such as iodine added to salt, can reduce its shelf life to about five years.

Of course, most foods don’t last very long. This is because they contain the things microbes love, such as nutrients and water, and not much of the stuff they don’t love, such as salt and acid.

Be aware that use-by dates are generally used for food safety reasons, and best-before dates are more to do with the quality of the product. The best-before date might have little bearing on the shelf life of some products, only how it looks or tastes.